Two Quarians and a Drone
by torchie8
Summary: A young Quarian on her Pilgrimage, Kirah'Zan nar Hastra is going through hell... at least until she meets a merchant named Kenn. Can they overcome whatever fate has to throw at them and find a gift to bring to the flotilla? My first fic, so please review :) OC/Kenn, no major Shepard involvement. Rated T for violence and language.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Mass Effect is property of BioWare. I do not own anything.

**Chapter 1: **First Kill

A gust of wind swept through the dark streets of Omega. A small cloud of dust rose from the dirty walkway in a cramped alley far from any of the more populated areas.

The cloud was soon scattered by the bowed-back legs of a passing quarian. It was obvious from the mask's shape that she was a female. She was shaking a bit, as if she was cold, and kept walking faster and faster. She appeared to be rather nervous. A common sight on Omega.

The quarian stopped right before a corner, brought up her omnitool and scanned the area for life signs. The scanner reported only faint signatures. She let out a sigh of relief, dismissing them as rats, and continued walking.

She stopped again at the end of the street and turned around. She was almost certain she'd already heard footsteps coming from somewhere behind her, but this time she was sure. Someone had been following her. She looked around carefully but didn't spot anything.

_That's it. I wanted to help Kenn, but I'm not risking my life._

She began to run. Her heart was beating furiously as she turned corners, doing whatever she could to remain unseen. It was probably too late, but she wasn't going to go down easily. The footsteps behind her became louder and louder. Whoever was following her must have been wearing armor and getting worn out. She was slowly becoming rather tired herself, but she couldn't stop. Her legs kept moving, almost as if they had a conscience of their own. She just hoped her envirosuit would register the temperature change soon enough to cool her down. She had always kept herself in a decent physical condition, but training meant next to nothing when her life was in danger, and she knew that.

At first, she aimed for the marketplace and Kenn's stand, but she soon discovered that she went the wrong way. It didn't take her long to realize she'd eventually have to confront the hunter. She still kept running despite the burning in her legs. There was an intersection ahead, and she was ready to lose her pursuer for good.

She turned the corner only to charge right into someone. Dazed by the unexpected impact, the quarian clumsily turned around and tried to try the other way, but the pursuer – a human – had just catched up. She was trapped.

„Going somewhere, lady?" said the turian she bumped into, holding a shotgun in his right arm. Right now, she was glad turians weren't capable of grinning.

„Boss, I caught her snooping near the entrance," the human said, breathing heavily. _At least I gave the bastard a good run,_ she thought with a frown. She had no idea what he was talking about until she noticed the color of his armor.

Blue Suns.

„You can go now," the turian said. She was confused. Was this some kind of joke? She tried to walk away but the turian's claw grabbed her shoulder and forcibly turned her around. „Not you, my dear. Him." The human ran off.

„So," the turian started. „Are you the pesky suit rat that's been stealing our supplies for the past two weeks?"

She decided to play it safe and try everything. _Calm down, Kirah,_ she thought to herself. _You've gotten out of worse situations already._

„I... I don't know what you're talking about," she said, trying to sound genuinely confused. She'd been salvaging parts for Kenn when he needed it, but the place she always went to looked more like a giant garbage container rather than a place to store Blue Suns supplies.

„I have to admit, I expected this answer." He began walking around slowly. „That doesn't make it any more believable. You'll tell me what you're doing here now. Don't even think about lying."

„I was just passing by, I swear! Let me go!" She was starting to get scared. This guy obviously wasn't an idiot. Her persuading skills wouldn't help. After all, she was a quarian. Anyone who trusted her must have been either another quarian or living in their own little world.

The turian laughed. He was likely experienced in dealing with „trespassers". She had no idea this was Blue Suns territory, though he didn't soften up.

„Tsk, tsk... too bad it's not allowed," he said. Kirah desperately tried to find some way to escape, but got nothing. The merc had a shotgun. The hall they were in was a dead end. The only means of escape was going back where she came from, but she needed to distract the turian first.

„Tell you what, sweetie." He interrupted her train of thought. She was disgusted but had to look him in the eyes. „If you hand over your credits, I might just look away for a second and fail to catch you when you run... What do you think? A mutually beneficial exchange?"

Now this was just insulting. This person had known her for five minutes, but that was apparently enough for him to start calling her names and shamelessly try to rob her.

„I don't have any credits on me!" she yelled. „Please, just let me go! I wasn't doing anything bad!"

„You're not going anywhere without credits," he said before turning around and dusting off the barrel of his shotgun. She took the opportunity to scour her pockets for anything that might help. Her left hand got stuck on something before she could check the pocket. It was her pistol.

_Bingo!_

She hastily pulled out the pistol and took aim at the turian.

„Drop that gun!" she screamed. The shotgun fell to the mercenary's feet with a loud noise. „Now turn around slowly!" He let out a sigh and followed her order. Now she was the one with the upper hand, but she really didn't want to kill him.

„You'd make a good merc," he said, looking somewhat disappointed. „If only you didn't panic..."

„Shut up and don't move! I'm leaving, let me go and I won't harm you." Still facing him, Kirah circled around him and started backing into the hall she came from. The turian slowly turned as well, still looking at her.

„Don't move! I.. I'll shoot!" Her face was completely pale, even by quarian standards. Good thing he didn't see past her mask. She didn't want to hear any more of his comments.

Suddenly, the turian jumped to the side and immediately picked up his shotgun.

_Keelah se'lai._

She pulled the trigger.

Blue blood splattered over the back wall as the dead turian's body collapsed onto the dusty ground. A perfect headshot. The mercenary never stood a chance without a helmet. Kirah stood there in utter shock, dropping the pistol. She kneeled to pick it up but stopped and took a moment to think about what just happened.

She had just killed a person for the first time in her life. The feeling was too heavy for her to just shake off. Sure, she'd gotten in much trouble already, but she had never harmed anyone until then. Tears ran down her cheeks. This person was a criminal, but even he must have had a friends. Maybe even a family. And now he was dead. She might very well have just ruined a family. Was this really necessary?

Kirah shook her head and picked up her pistol before securing it to its usual spot on her waist. This wasn't the time for dealing with emotions. She had to escape first.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

„Kenn!" Kirah shouted desperately across the marketplace, running up to Kenn's stand. She was back safe and sound. She ran up to him and gave him a short, tight hug.

„What happened, Kirah? It took you so long..."

„I got in trouble, Kenn," she confessed with a frown behind her mask. „Guns were drawn. I... I had to kill someone." Kenn didn't expect to hear something like this. Kirah was a peaceful girl. She'd never resort to violence unless necessary.

„Who was it?" he asked. Kirah was rather upset, but he couldn't think of a way to comfort her.

„It's not what you think," she said hastily, not wanting to look bad. „The Blue Suns tried to mug me. I had to shoot one of them so I could run away. I swear, Kenn, I didn't want to! I'm sorry... It's all my fault..." Tears began forming in her eyes again. The least Kenn could do to help her was give her something nicer to think about. Good thing she was so forgetful.

„It's okay, Kirah. Come here." He pulled two chairs from under the counter and invited Kirah to sit down with a simple gesture.

„Thank you. It's a strange feeling. I just can't cope with it and forget it." Her frown turned into a smile when she remembered the point of her little trip. „By the way, I managed to find the exact heatsink unit you needed." Kenn would normally act happier about finally receiving the part he couldn't have acquired himself, but she just went through what was probably the worst trauma in her life. She needed him.

„Thank you. You saved me a lot of work." He carefully inspected her suit for damage, but everything appeared to be alright. He couldn't resist staring for a little longer than he should. The way the dark red mixed in with the gray... She was beautiful. Not to mention that she had been helping him ever since they met. He would do anything to repay the favor.

At last, she noticed him still gazing at her.

„Is something wrong?" she asked playfully as if she knew something he didn't.

„No, not at all," Kenn replied and decided to be honest. „I was just admiring your suit."

„Now that's something you don't hear every day," she chuckled before adding, „Most people despise quarians because of it."

„Most people aren't quarians themselves."

„You are right, though," she said in a much happier tone than just a while ago. „I like my suit too. After all, I'll have to wear it for the rest of my life, so I deserve a nice one."

„You sure do," Kenn said after a while before placing his hand over her lower back. He didn't know how she'd react to what he was about to say, but the last thing he wanted to do was distance himself from her.

„You know, Kirah, I've been saving all the credits I could for a trip off Omega. I'm just as tired of this place as you."

„I know," she replied, sadness slowly reaching at her again. „I won't stop you from leaving. You still have a Pilgrimage to finish, as do I. Hopefully you won't forget about me." Now was the time.

„Quite the opposite, actually," he said to her. She curiously lifted her head up. „Kirah, I don't think I could handle leaving you in this hellhole. You've helped me from the start, with everything. It's time I returned the favor." She was surprised. „Do you mean..."

„Yes, Kirah," Kenn said. „Would you... would you come with me?"

She got off her chair, pulled Kenn up with her and hugged him. She was sparking with joy.

„Keelah! Kenn, you don't need to ask! Of course I would!"

She couldn't believe it. He was really offering to pay for her, no, for them to leave the dreaded station. Together.

„Be careful not to strangle me," he said jokingly. „Would you like to go for a walk?"

„Isn't that just a bit too dangerous?" she replied. A sincere smile spread across his face. He wished he could take his mask off so she could see it.

„Not for you."

„If you say so," she smirked. „Let's go then."

Just a few minutes later, they were already walking through the streets. A pretty bold move by Omega standards, but they both wanted to relax a bit and enjoy some small-talk.

„Tell me, Kirah," Kenn said. „How did you end up on this horrible station? If you wouldn't mind of course," he added quickly.

Kirah cleared her throat.

„Well, it's a short story, so I suppose I could tell you. I was travelling aboard a freighter. The captain, a human, was kind enough to offer me a ride to Omega. I thought it wouldn't be such a bad idea to try my luck here." She sighed. „I was so wrong."

„But what caused you to get stuck here?" Kenn asked, looking her in the eyes. She smiled at him and continued.

„When we were almost ready to dock, it turned out a pirate ship was tailing us the entire time. We docked and the captain told me to run for it, so I did. All my belongings are still on that ship... if it hasn't been blown up or seized by these pirates." The mere thought of losing everything in such a manner was still embarassing to her even now, a long time after it happened.

„Didn't you know what the ship was transporting?"

„Oh, I did." Kirah paused before guiltily saying, „Lots of eezo." She knew what Kenn would say. That she had made a target of herself. That it was her own fault. And he would be right.

„I suppose there wasn't really any other option, was it?"

She shook her head. „Nope."

„I'm sorry, Kirah," he said. „This must have been hard."

„Oh stop it, you," she replied teasingly. „It's okay. Besides, pretty much the same thing happened to you too. It's not like you don't know how it feels."

„I guess you're right."

Kirah took a deep breath and observed her surroundings. She'd been letting Kenn lead the way the entire time. She didn't exactly know this part of Omega very well, but that wasn't a problem for her friend. Or was he still just a friend? She couldn't help it but feel that there was something more between them. Kenn felt the same way.

„I hate this place," she said. „Being stranded here knowing that it was your decision, that you can't go back and rethink everything... it's horrible." Kenn nodded.

„With a bit of luck, it won't last long," he assured her.

„I'm looking forward to it. I can't believe I'm about to leave and start over. You gave me hope." She held his hand. „I just wish I could somehow return the favor."

„There is no need, Kirah. Just having you near me, talking to you, watching you... it all makes me feel a bit better. It reminds me that there's still someone who cares about me, someone I can freely talk to anytime without being laughed at. You're different, not like anyone I've ever met." He put on the sweetest smile he could pull off, even though he realized Kirah couldn't see it. Damned masks.

She remembered what she thought of a while ago. Suddenly, she had no idea what to say.

„I'm glad to hear that. We need to help each other." She immediately had to resist the urge to slap herself for saying that. It was almost as if she couldn't control her mouth in these situations. She decided it would be a good idea to sort out their strange relationship later.

„Believe it or not, this has been a pretty hard day. I'm pretty tired. Mind if we go back?"

„Sure," Kenn said. „There's nothing to see on this forsaken station anyway. We can go to my place and talk."

The trip to Kenn's apartment took them just a few minutes. They were both silent and walked quickly. No matter how empty the streets looked, there were always shady people watching on Omega. And from the looks of it, Kirah would suffer a heart attack if she was ambushed again.

They stopped at a door near a store about a kilometre away from the marketplace. After a few taps on Kenn's omnitool, the door opened and both quarians stepped in before it closed again. It was a single room with a bed, two armchairs, a table and a small kitchen unit. And, unsurprisingly for a quarian, a workbench with a variety of engineering tools.

„So this is it," Kenn said. „Nothing special, but it's better than nothing. Please, make yourself at home." Kirah nodded and sat in one of the armchairs. _Pretty comfortable. His life mustn't be so bad after all. _Her attention shifted to the workbench. A small metallic ball was lying in the middle with parts and wires scattered around it. She stood up and went to the workbench to get a closer look at it.

„That's a VI drone," Kenn said proudly. „I made it. The blueprints are in the drawer if you want to take a look. Haven't seen any like that before so I suppose I invented it." He smiled behind his mask. „I haven't been able to finish it since I was missing a few parts, but thanks to you I have them all now." He went over to the workbench himself and pulled the small heatsink unit out of his pocket.

„It seems very well designed," Kirah said after analyzing it with her omnitool. „What does it do?"

„It's a fully developed advanced VI," Kenn explained. „It's a bit like projected maintenance or combat drones, but it has a physical core which serves as the projector and hardware container. The core levitates via a small mass effect field and is linked to the user's omnitool. The drone has combat capabilities, although somewhat limited. It can be repurposed by altering the design slightly, but I'm content with this one. It might make for a good companion."

„Are you sure it's safe?" she asked, immediately thinking of the geth.

„Of course," he answered. „Actually, that was my top priority while constructing it. Among other failsafes, it's unable to use its hacking abilities and weapon unless allowed to via the omnitool interface. Don't worry, it won't cause any trouble."

„How far from completion is your prototype?" Kirah asked curiously. She was always interested in technology, like most other quarians.

„Not much. All that's left to do is add the missing parts and program it. You know, the usual. It's pretty much like all other drones."

Kirah was intrigued about the drone, she had nothing to do, nowhere to go and she liked Kenn. It only made sense to stay here.

„Need any help?" She tilted her head as if she was begging him to let her stay.

„I'd appreciate that," Kenn admitted. „It will still take some time, though. I'm not sure you'd be willing to stay overnight."

Kirah giggled excitedly.

„I would."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The world was a blur. Kirah barely recognized Kenn's tools as she realized she'd been sleeping with her head on his workbench.

_Keelah, I hate waking up._

Her eyelids slid up and down. The nightmare of every quarian. Her suit was blocking her from just wiping her eyes. Another reason to envy the humans. Having almost restored her sight after a minute, she stood up slowly. Her neck ached from staying for hours in such a crazy position. Kirah felt strange, as if something big happened, but she had no idea why.

It took her longer than she'd like to find Kenn sleeping right next to where she was lying just a while ago. She came to a conclusion that they both simply fell asleep while working on the drone.

_Oh, the drone. I ought to take a look._

She came closer to the workbench, careful as to not wake up her friend, and picked up the drone's core. It was close to being fully operational. She was anxious to see how it performed. Negative thoughts kept passing through her mind, mostly related to the geth rebellion. She became worried for a second, afraid that the drone could refuse to obey and become hostile. There was always the risk of drastic changes with artificial intelligences. The thought didn't last long however, and she reminded herself of Kenn's knowledge of technology and how careful he'd always been. It was going to be alright.

She walked over to one of the armchairs and sat down before twisting her neck to relieve herself of the pain and returning to her thoughts. She still didn't know what to bring back as a gift to the fleet or where they'd go after leaving Omega. She was still just a young quarian, inexperienced and left at the mercy of the world around her. Her basic shooting and engineering skills would help her with little more than survival. And as far as survival goes, if it wasn't for Kenn, she'd probably be starving somewhere in the streets.

Kirah began thinking about Kenn again. Before she met this quarian and agreed to help him find parts for some credits in return, going to Omega was the worst mistake she had ever made. He was about to change that.

She was bored. Her omnitool let out a quiet beep as she established a link between it and her visor and began to play a game. The goal was to destroy a pack of enemy ships with the player's own small fleet in a fully three-dimensional environment. After beating the game almost effortlessly on all three difficulty levels, she heard a quiet sound coming from the workbench. Kenn was waking up.

„Hey, good morning," she greeted him warmly. He responded with a quiet hello and pretty much fell into the other armchair. „How are you feeling?"

„It could be better," he answered sleepily, stretching his back. „Looks like I didn't make it to bed either. My spine feels like it's going to break in half."

„At least the drone seems complete."

„Yeah."

Kirah looked him in the eyes. The typical glow was somewhat dim, reflecting his state.

„Should we activate it?"

„If you want to," he nodded and went over to the workbench. Kirah followed him. He stopped before stepping aside and giving her a „go ahead" look.

„Kirah, I think now's the right moment to tell you. This was supposed to be a surprise, but that doesn't really matter now does it? The drone is a gift for you." He smiled.

„Are you... I mean, I... thanks!" Kirah blurted out. „That's great!"

„When I first met you, you seemed so lonely, I thought you could really use a companion. Or someone to protect you. Or both." He gave her a pat on the shoulder and activated his omnitool. „I'm sending you the boot codes. It's all yours."

Kirah pointed her omnitool at the drone and pressed a few buttons. The core lit up with a bright blue light. She picked it up, activated the levitation function and slowly released it into the air. After four more taps on the omnitool, the core began projecting a solid blue sphere around itself. One side of the sphere began flashing as a soft feminine voice echoed throughout the room.

„Initializing voice synthesizer. Done. Projection at a hundred percent. Accessing memory. Done. Checking systems. Done. Loading data... done. Good morning, Kirah'Zan nar Hastra. It is a pleasure to meet you."

„Hello, um... I'm sorry, what's your name?" Kirah asked.

„I do not have a name," the drone said. „You can assign a name to me and use it, if you wish." Kirah's eyebrows rose. An idea.

„What's your serial number?"

„I do not have a serial number," the drone replied with a regretful tone in its voice. „I am one of a kind, a prototype."

„Tell me one random numerical value from your memory," Kirah asked.

„Zero," the drone answered almost immediately.

Kirah smiled behind her mask. „Alright. Your name is Zero."

„Acknowledged." Zero said and spun around. „I have successfully paired with your omnitool. Do I have the permission to call you by your first name?"

„Definitely," Kirah answered, happy with her progress. Zero was going to be good to have nearby.

„Thank you, Kirah. I would like to inform you that my hacking and combat abilities are currently unavailable. You can unlock them via your omnitool interface. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

„Why do you have a female voice?" the quarian asked curiously.

„I was created as a companion for you. Kenn, my creator, was of the opinion that a female companion would be better suited to your needs and desires. Is there a problem, Kirah?"

„No, not at all," Kirah answered quickly and smiled at the other quarian who was sitting in his chair, listening. „In fact, he was right." This drone was going to be full of surprises. Kenn had been the one programming it... _her,_ while Kirah paid more attention to assembling the core.

„I am pleased to know that," Zero chimed and flew around the room, testing her movement capabilities. Kirah noticed.

„Everything right?" she asked before Zero stopped in front of her.

„Yes," Zero replied. „Hardware is functioning at full capacity. Software functions surpassing expected performance by thirty-seven percent."

„How come?" Kirah tilted her head slightly. Kenn loved this habit of hers. Zero was almost ready to answer, but stopped when Kenn spoke.

„I put love into my creations," he explained proudly. „I work with a passion. Especially for you, Kirah." That sentence was enough to make her blush.

„Oooh, thanks..." Kirah's cheeks were a bright red. Now she was certain. She felt more for him than she'd admit. „You should teach me that."

„I will," he said. Kirah walked over to his chair and snuggled up to him.

„This is the best gift I've ever received," she said. „Thanks. Oh, and Zero... take a rest."

„Um... yes," the drone replied awkwardly, having noticed that Kirah was too busy hugging Kenn to pay her any attention. Zero flew above the table and let her projection disappear, landing softly on top of a magazine.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Kirah was sitting in an armchair in Kenn's apartment. It was past noon and Kenn had gone to his stand, leaving her alone with Zero. Of course, having grown used to the female drone's presence, she didn't mind. They were discussing quarian immune systems. Kirah couldn't remember who brought up the topic, but it probably had something to do with her cough.

She had joined suits with Kenn the day before. Receiving Zero as a gift only made her realize how much he cared for her and what she actually felt for him. Love would be the correct term now. She had counted the number of times she'd catch herself staring at him throughout the day, and she lost track at around fifteen. A sudden burst of coughing broke her train of thought.

„Are you fine, Kirah?" Zero asked, worried.

„It's nothing, I'm fine," Kirah answered and smiled, thinking of Kenn again. „Nothing compared to what I went through yesterday, at least."

„Is it normal for organics to show strong signs of affection so suddenly?"

Zero couldn't know everything. Love was just a hollow word to synthetics. Kirah felt a little sorry for her.

„Not really," she answered and cleared her throat. „But I'm different. Everyone is different, and there's always a match for you. A person you just can't stop thinking about. Kenn just so happens to be that person for me. And the sudden ‚signs of affection,' as you call it... well, that's just how I act."

„Would you mind giving me information on the first time you met Kenn?" Zero asked, spinning around.

„Sure not," Kirah started before yet another burst of coughing overtook her. She cleared her throat again and continued. „It was about two weeks ago, I believe..."

_She was alone. Her pride destroyed, her legs barely capable of holding her up. She was cold and hungry, not having eaten for a day, and it was going to get worse. A lot worse._

_She slowly picked herself off the ground. This wasn't the time to complain about how unfair life is. It was either now or never; she had to find someone willing to help her, because there was no way she'd survive on her own now._

_She made a few careful steps forward, hoping her legs wouldn't fail her now. The marketplace was just a few minutes of walking away. She could find help there. Hopefully._

_The pain was unbearable. Not just the physical pain, spreading from her legs throughout her body, threatening to paralyze her. She couldn't believe what was really happening, and that hurt. She'd always been smart and successful. So was her family back on the flotilla. And one wrong move later, here she was, starving, broke and stranded on Omega with no way out._

_This wasn't a vid or a game. This was real, and she still couldn't accept that. She'd never imagined this could happen. Would she ever get off this rock? Would she get to see her family at least one more time?_

_The marketplace was right in front of her. The sound of people shouting and bargaining combined with the news reports coming from the loud speakers made her flinch. At least the slums had been quiet._

_She walked around, carefully inspecting the stores without getting noticed. Even here, quarians weren't welcome. One of the stores caught her attention; it was tiny, far from the chaos of the marketplace center and most importantly, it was run by a quarian. He seemed young, around her age. This was her chance. It made perfect sense; who would be more willing to help a quarian than another quarian?_

_She walked up to him shyly. She could still turn around and go away, but her legs kept moving towards the stand._

„_Hey," the quarian greeted her. Now it was her turn. What to say, what to say?_

„_Hello," she said nervously, her legs shaking. This conversation could save her life or end it, but it was going to be very awkward either way. „I... I need help, sir..." She staggered and only barely stopped herself from falling._

„_Are you okay?" the quarian asked, quickly grabbing her hand and pulling her behind the counter before offering her a seat. She pretty much fell into the chair. Finally, relief. Her legs still hurt, but at least they didn't have to support her now._

„_Thank you..." she said, expecting his goodwill to run out._

„_Are you alright? What happened?" he asked. She couldn't believe it. What she heard in his voice... was that concern? Worry?_

„_I got lost," she admitted shamefully. „I'm on my Pilgrimage. I was stupid and... I decided to try my luck here, but I don't even have any credits and now I don't know what to do..."_

„_It's alright," he assured her. „I believe I can help you."_

_He pulled out a bottle of water and a straw. „Here, have a drink."_

_She was delighted. Her lips were dry and cracked. Before she knew it, the bottle was almost empty._

„_Thank you," she said before returning the bottle to him. „You just saved me. I hope I'm not bothering you... Heck, I don't even know your name! I'm sorry."_

„_It's okay." He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. „I'm Kenn. And you are?"_

_She sent him a grateful look. „Kirah. Kirah'Zan nar Hastra."_

„It is certain you were very lucky," Zero noted.

„Yeah," Kirah admitted. „Yeah, I was. Omega isn't exactly the best place to make friends. I was scared, but what choice did I have?"

„Why did you have trouble communicating?" the drone asked.

„It's the feelings, Zero," she explained. „You might not have noticed but I've always been shy around people I didn't know. It's a kind of a defense mechanism, and – ironically enough – it can really screw up my day sometimes. Being in danger didn't really help anything either. This station taught me to fear everything that's on it, so Kenn being nice was a rather unexpected discovery."

„But didn't you say that the fact Kenn is a quarian played a significant role in beginning to trust him?"

„It's not as simple," Kirah replied. „Quarians aren't perfect, Zero. Kenn didn't have to welcome me with open arms and a much needed snack. In fact, he had every right to send me away. But he didn't. He still helped me, probably even saved my life. And he didn't regret it."

„How can you be sure of that?" Zero objected. „I do not intend to disrupt your trust towards him, but I do not recall him ever telling you such a thing." Kirah chuckled.

„What we did yesterday says otherwise. I love him, Zero. I really do. And he loves me too."

„I have not witnessed the aforementioned moment," the drone said. „You told me to, as you put it, take a rest."

„I..." Kirah began but was interrupted by her omnitool beeping. She pressed a button.

„Hey, Kenn," she said with a smile when a projection of Kenn materialized above her omnitool. „What's up?"

„I hope I'm not interrupting... Can you get to my store? I think we might be in luck." That could only mean he found a buyer for Zero's blueprint. They had already discussed this with Zero and the drone didn't seem to mind. She was already special enough.

Kirah was shocked... and happy. With enough credits, they could get transport off Omega. They could go somewhere nice. Anywhere.

„It's alright," she replied. „We were just having a, uh, talk. Be there in five." She closed her omnitool and went towards the door.

„Do you request assistance?" Zero asked. Kirah shook her head at her before leaving the apartment.

The trip to Kenn's store took her only a few minutes. She was excited. Of course, just having found a buyer didn't mean anything yet; but it was the first step, and she suddenly felt very confident in their chances.

As she approached the store, she immediately noticed an asari standing in front of the counter examining some data on her omnitool and discussing something with Kenn. The alien looked like a rich person, unlike anything on Omega. Her luxurious blue robe alone made her stand out from the crowd. If they succeed... _keelah. So many credits._

„I came as fast as I could," Kirah said.

„Is she your friend?" the asari asked with a smile. Kenn nodded.

„I'm Kirah'Zan. A pleasure to meet you."

„Good day to you, Kirah," the alien answered in a friendly voice. I'm Melara Yani and I work for Elkoss Combine. Our company is interested in your friend's drone technology."

„I see. Carry on, please." Kirah smiled and moved to the far corner where Kenn had some spare parts piled up. She was curious whether Zero could be further upgraded. Occasionally, she stopped rummaging through the parts for a while to listen to Kenn's conversation with the manager but heard nothing interesting until the debate became centered on the price of the blueprints.

„The full VI capability is what interests us most," Melara said. „It is unusual for drones of such size. And the design is very efficient."

„Thank you," Kenn replied, surprised. He definitely didn't think it would be very successful.

„I wouldn't exactly call myself a tech specialist, but this is exactly what our company needs. We can offer twenty thousand credits as down payment and a hundred credits author's fee for every drone built."

„How many drones would that be?" Kenn asked with no apparent interest in her offer. They needed the credits now.

„I believe around a thousand drones for the first batch. We would see how successful the sales are, then decide whether to continue production or not."

„That sounds like a long-term plan," the quarian said, somewhat disappointed. „Me and my friend are planning to make larger spendings very soon, and we would prefer a higher one-time payment." Kirah smiled. Absolutely selfless. One of the things she loved about him.

„I see," Melara responded calmly. „We can arrange for that as well. A hundred thousand credits?"

„Sorry for interrupting, but what exactly are the drones going to be used for?" Kirah asked.

„Our company is always looking to expand," the asari explained. „We're currently adding drones to our inventory. These particular drones would be designed to assist injured or disabled people. They are intelligent, adaptable and can solve any problem. Exactly what these people need."

„A hundred thousand would be fine," Kenn decided after a brief while. Melara proceeded to swipe her credit chit through the slot. The quarian gave her a disc with the blueprint. „Thank you. Good luck with the sales."

„Likewise, sir," she said before walking away.

Kirah moved her chair right next to Kenn's and held his hand.

„Is that it?" she asked with a smile.

„Seems like it," Kenn confirmed. „But we have a big problem."

„Do tell."

„Who will book the ship?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

„Hey, Kirah! Pack your things. We're leaving."

„I already have," Kirah answered, looking over at Zero. She let out a sad sigh. The curious drone was all she had.

She and Kenn had bought transport to the Citadel. She'd never seen the colossal station with her own eyes, but that was going to change. It was hard to find a travel agency that organized flights from Omega because of the station's horrible reputation and crime rate. Having witnessed the horrors of it herself, she didn't blame them.

Buying the tickets and renting an apartment on the Citadel cost them almost eighty thousand credits, but at least they didn't have to wander around the streets all day. She still had no idea what to do after they arrive, but Kenn insisted they'd find something. And she believed him.

„What's the holdup, Kirah?" Kenn asked from outside the apartment. Kirah realized she'd gotten lost in her thoughts again.

_This is going to be a problem someday,_ she thought with a chuckle, leaving and closing the door behind her.

„So where is our dock?" Kirah asked. Kenn scrambled around for his ticket but couldn't find it.

„Bosh'tet... I left it inside," Kenn muttered in embarassment as he opened the door and searched the apartment.

„Our ship departs from the dock in front of Club Afterlife," Zero announced.

„Thanks, Zero."

Kenn came out of the apartment, holding a light blue piece of paper triumphantly in his hand. „I'm not losing you again," he muttered before locking the door.

„Let's go," Kirah said, full of excitement.

They walked slowly, without haste. There was enough time. Kenn had made sure of that by waking Kirah up an hour earlier, something she still hadn't forgiven him. Still, she was glad they were finally leaving this hellhole. Possibly forever.

„Where is everyone?" Kirah wondered after a while. The entire area around Afterlife was indeed empty with no people in sight. This was, to say the least, strange. Zero suddenly spun around and flew towards the club before returning after a short while.

„The club appears to be in order with music and voices coming from the inside," the drone reported. „The lack of organics in this area is highly unusual. I recommend caution. I would also like to remind you that my weapons capability is still locked. It might prove beneficial to enable it at least for now."

Kirah brought up her omnitool and accessed Zero's settings before overriding the seal.

„Weapons enabled. Hacking enabled."

„Good," Kirah said. „Let's move."

They walked a few more metres before they heard a voice.

„Stop right there!" The voice belonged to a human who was walking towards them from the parking spot for skycars, holding a rifle in his hand. Two more humans were accompanying him, also armed and wearing the same blue and white armor.

_Oh no._

Suddenly, she hated herself. For not telling Kenn the whole story. For not expecting this. For causing this in the first place.

„What do you want?" Kirah shouted at him. Zero stayed in the back, likely preparing for an attack. Kenn reached into his pocket for the „emergency bomb", as he called it, followed by the human firing off a warning shot and aiming his rifle at him.

„Don't even think about it," he snarled, turning to Kirah. „You must be the bitch who killed Yurra. And I don't take kindly to little shits like you running around killing my fucking men, you hear me?"

Kirah moved her hand behind her back, pointing at some piping for Kenn to hide behind, praying that he understands. She then stared somewhere behind the mercenaries in an attempt to make them turn around. And she succeeded.

„What the hell..." The leader quickly turned around to check the area, but that was enough for her. She jumped behind a stack of crates, effectively dodging the gunfire, her heart beating wildly. Kenn hid behind the piping. He looked alright, giving her some much needed relief. She couldn't live without him. Zero decided to hide behind the crates too, the only bullet to hit her having bounced away harmlessly.

The leader gestured the other two humans to stop firing.

„We can wait here all day! We have plenty of time!" he shouted with a sinister laugh.

„Zero, let me throw you," Kirah whispered. The drone flickered before stopping projection, allowing her to touch the core. She had one chance to do this right. And thankfully, her time scrambling through Kenn's parts had been time well spent.

She poked out of cover and, before the mercenaries opened fire again, flung Zero's core high above their heads.

A blue sphere formed around the core like a shield before the core's mass effect field kicked in, stopping its fall right behind the confused humans. The blue color of the sphere grew lighter and lighter until it exploded in a circle of electric sparks, knocking two of the mercs out completely and overloading the leader's shields, causing them to flicker and disappear. Zero fell to the ground, exhausted by the power surge.

_Keelah, it really worked._

Kirah grabbed her pistol, ready to finish them off and get out of there. She took advantage of the mercenary's surprise and took her time to aim. Then, she pulled the trigger.

She could easily imagine the bullet in slow motion as it carved its way through the human's skull like a hot knife through butter. His dead body collapsed onto the ground just like Zero's core had, except he wasn't going to rise up again. He was gone.

The reality of what she'd done hit her like a hammer and out of nowhere. She didn't think this through. She didn't have the time. Or could she just not be bothered? She told herself that there was no other option, but some part of her kept convincing her that it was a lie. All of it. There must have been another way. She didn't have to kill him, or anyone else for that matter. And because of her selfishness, two sentient beings died. Two families have been ruined. It was her fault...

She sat on the ground with her arms wrapped around her legs, holding them close. Tears ran down her pale cheeks. Kenn sprung from the cover he didn't need anymore and ran up to her before crouching and putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

„Kirah," he said with a soothing voice. „It's okay. We're safe."

„You don't understand," she sobbed. „I... I didn't have to do that. I could have... thought of something different, maybe just stunned him... he was a criminal, but also a man... just like you!"

„Kirah, please," Kenn tried desperately to calm her down, but it wasn't going to be easy. „Please, listen to me. I'm... I'm not saying this was the best solution, right? But he would have done the same thing. Or something much worse. If he had a family... do you really think they were happy together? Even if they all knew that he was a cold blooded killer? Would you still love your father if he was a criminal?"

Kirah shook her head, holding Kenn's other hand.

„See? The same goes for his children. Who knows, maybe he wasn't even nice to them at all! And he would surely threaten other people eventually, too. You just saved all those people." He paused and smiled. „And as far as I know, fair women don't go for criminals."

Kirah ditched the tragic thoughts, standing up and hugging Kenn. The glow in her silver eyes had returned, even more intense than before.

„I love you, Kenn. Keelah, I really do."

„And I love you too."

They allowed themselves to get lost in the moment for a few minutes before deciding to move on.

„What about Zero?" Kirah exclaimed before running up to her little mechanical friend. It took just a few taps on her omnitool for Zero to float up in the air and reactivate.

„Initializing systems... Done. Accessing memory... Done. Projection at a hundred percent. All systems functional."

„How do you feel, Zero? Did the shock cause any damage?"

„No, although it did cause a hard reset to be required for further functioning. The energy cell system likely cannot withstand a power surge of such magnitude. Further examination of data might be needed to determine the cause. Other than that, I am fine."

„Should we go then?" Kirah asked. Kenn nodded.

„Yes... we have a ship to catch."


	6. Chapter 6

Kirah glanced out of the ship window, holding Kenn's hand firmly. The other quarian had been sitting right next to her, but she wasn't paying any attention.

Her eyes struggled to see much past the dark red tint of her mask and the thick glass, but the sight was still incredible. Only a few stars were visible through the bright light emanating from the Citadel's surroundings. The giant space station itself seemed to be sitting right in the middle of the beautiful white nebula, sticking out like a sparkling gem on a silver necklace, a colorful spot in a world of black and white.

„It's beautiful, isn't it?" Kenn said, letting go of Kirah's hand and instead placing his arm around her shoulder.

„It is," she replied quietly in amazement. „How does it look from the inside?"

„The Wards aren't exactly the nicest place in the galaxy, but it's still a large improvement over Omega," he answered. „We'll be fine, don't worry."

She remembered how they met and all that's happened since then. Her reaction was a slight blush, invisible to anyone else because of her mask.

„I don't want to be too much of a burden," she said apologetically. „You never had to take me with you. You could have just left me there and gone." He chuckled.

„Kirah, you don't understand," he spoke calmly after a while. „There is no more you and me. There's only us."

She didn't respond, instead again directing her attention towards the window. One of the Wards caught her eye; she noticed it lacked the characteristic orange lights. Nearly half of it was completely dark. She stopped caring when she realized they weren't going that way.

After just a few minutes, the transport ship was already passing above the numerous skyscrapers and gradually slowing down to a complete stop. A voice spoke through the speakers.

„We have arrived at the Citadel, Zakera Ward. Please check your seats and make sure to not leave your belongings behind. Thank you for choosing to use our company's services."

Kirah shivered. It couldn't have been that easy to get to the Citadel, even though it appeared to be. Kenn stood up, gently pulling her out of her seat. She held his hand firmly in an attempt to calm herself down. Kenn always knew what to do. He would surely tell her if there was any problem.

The airlock was crowded. They decided to stay behind for a while so they wouldn't get separated, and spent the time analyzing the ship from an engineer's point of view. Kirah somehow managed to find the ship's schematics in her omnitool, and soon they came to the conclusion that it had been designed rather efficiently to decrease fuel usage and maximize passenger space. A fine piece it was indeed, despite its age.

Kenn led her into the docking bay. What she saw fully met her expectations; large crowds of people, possibly refugees, advertisement projection pillars, parked skycars and much more. But unlike Omega, everything seemed peaceful. Nobody appeared to be in a hurry, let alone depressed or even scared. _A nice touch,_ Kirah thought to herself.

The way he cared for her reminded her of her father. Holding her hand. Talking to her. Comforting her. Teaching her. He knew she'd appreciate it all and made her life a thousand times easier. It had been only a few weeks since they met, but it felt like an eternity to both of them. She had grown used to Kenn's presence long ago, but he still managed to surprise her fairly often.

_I wonder how my father's doing..._

_Something was off. Kirah's father had been acting differently lately, as if there was some difficult problem he couldn't overcome, but little Kirah had no idea what it was. She trusted him and knew he'd tell her if it was necessary. Her worries dissipated quickly as she returned to what she called the Pile, a pile of parts in a corner of her room which she'd always tried to build something with. She also had some action figures and a couple vids she'd already seen too many times to provide any real entertainment anymore._

_She was just a normal kid with a couple friends, though she didn't meet them very often at all. The Hastra was her home, a small frigate from the Patrol Fleet, while most quarian children lived on the big ships. Most of the time, she simply didn't mind being alone. By the time things started to get boring, her parents usually needed to take care of some business with the Admiral and brought her along to the Tonbay, sometimes even the Rayya. That's where she played with other kids and saw many interesting things. She'd even met one of the Admirals, Shala'Raan vas Tonbay, in person._

_Kirah noticed her father rushing to the communications room and followed him. She'd been a bit worried. What if it really did concern her somehow?_

_He noticed her sneaking up behind him and turned around with a smile._

„_Wait a moment, Kirah, I'll explain."_

_He entered the tiny room and sealed the door behind him. The console let out short beeps as he entered the commands before a projection of the Admiral materialized above it._

„_Admiral Raan," he greeted her with a salute. „To what do I owe the pleasure?"_

„_At ease, Darya. There are some... complications regarding your upcoming mission. However, this means of communication is too insecure for me to give you all the details. I need to meet you aboard the Tonbay." The message had been, to say the least, rather disturbing. He swallowed and took a deep breath. This couldn't be good. _

„_Yes, Admiral. I'll be there as soon as I can."_

„_Thank you, Captain," she replied with a nod. „I will be expecting you."_

_The console automatically turned off as he unlocked the door and left the room. Kirah was still waiting in the hall._

„_I'm sorry, darling. It was too important," he said to her apologetically. „Everything will be okay, don't worry."_

_She hung her head down in sadness. „You're going away, Daddy?"_

„_Yes, Kirah, but I'll be back soon," he answered. „I'm going to discover new things and make the quarian people proud."_

„_Can I go with you?" she sprung up immediately, her curiosity taking over._

„_Sorry, sweetheart, it's going to be very dangerous." She sighed in disappointment._

„_I'm scared, Daddy. What if you get hurt?" He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder._

„_I won't. I promise." He looked around. „And you'll get to stay on the Tonbay for three days!" That was enough to make her happy._

„Kirah?" Kenn said, unsure of what happened to her.

„Oh! Sorry," she apologized, quickly catching up. „I tend to get lost in memories."

„You sure you aren't actually a drell in a suit?" he asked jokingly. She smirked.

„And what if I am?"

They reached the customs officer. Kirah couldn't believe no one was waiting to be processed, seeing as the place was crawling with people. She quickly made her way to the counter before someone got the same idea.

„How can I help you?" the turian officer asked, seemingly glad to have something to do. Standing there all day must have been boring.

„Me and my... friend have arrived just now, and from what we've been told, security has tightened up," Kirah said, pulling Kenn a bit closer.

„That would be true, ma'am," the officer answered. „If you have anything volatile, weapons, biotic amps, mechanical parts, I'll need to send it through a few quick checks."

Kirah opened the pack secured around her waist, pulling out Zero. She had disposed of the pistol that got her from Omega alive. Without thermal clips, it would be of no use anyway. Kenn had done the same with his grenade and had nothing on him that needed to be checked.

„Thank you." She barely heard the turian's voice, instead imagining him studying and training until he was finally chosen to join C-Sec, only to be stationed here.

„Please proceed through the door. Your possessions will be waiting for you on the other side. Next!" The officer immediately started talking to someone else. Only now Kirah noticed the long queue that somehow formed while they were talking to him. She poked Kenn in the arm and went through the door when she made sure he was going to stay right behind her.

„Friend? Is that all you can do?" he asked with a chuckle.

„Hey, I still have problems with socializing, remember?"

The scanning had been quick and painless. When a quarian visited the Citadel for the first time, they registered with C-Sec so they could return anytime they had to. It made Pilgrimages significantly easier and shorter.

Kirah walked out the door, Kenn following her closely. She turned to the left and walked over to the human officer's table. He nodded knowingly, extending out an arm and carefully placing Zero into her own hand.

„Interesting one," he said. „Whoever built that drone did a very good job." Kirah merely blushed a bit behind her mask, while Kenn had to stop himself from precisely describing Zero's functions in detail. This wasn't the time.

„Thank you, sir."

They walked out of the door and found themselves in the middle of a large skyscraper. The place was full of people, flashing lights, ads and all kinds of stores. Kirah had never seen anything like it before. The loud noise had been rather unpleasant and her suit didn't have a mute function, but she got used to it soon enough.

„Come out, Zero," she said, pushing the only button on the core and releasing it into the air. Zero activated immediately. The shockwave released by her earlier really didn't cause any damage. Kirah was relieved.

The two quarians and a drone decided to take a short trip around the building, but the events that happened earlier that day had taken their toll. Kirah somehow kept on walking for a few more minutes before her legs went almost numb and her mind concentrated on one thing only: a large, soft bed.

„Hey, Kenn," she said, „I'm sorry, but I'm really tired. Can we explore the place tomorrow? I'm sure we'll have plenty of time."

Her loved one nodded and grabbed her arm more firmly to give her some support. They headed straight towards the cab station and in two more minutes, they were flying to the eight hundred blocks.

„Keelah... what a day," Kirah mumbled before falling asleep in the passenger's seat.


	7. Chapter 7

**I've decided to edit and update this chapter due to possible copyright issues. Yeah, I somehow managed to overlook the lyric rule, and only saw it yesterday while publishing my other fic, so of course I had to hurry and fix it! Nevertheless, this fic is not dead, and I have a couple more interesting OCs in store for you!**

The apartment was rather small, containing only a large living room-bedroom and a tiny bathroom, but that was by far enough for its two occupants. Quarians didn't need to worry about bathrooms anyway – their envirosuits, being an amazing product of microengineering, took care of absolutely everything. Even though they were necessary to keep their wearers alive and often got in the way, they made a lot of things simpler. Not being capable of physical contact had simply been an insignificant little sacrifice... or was it?

Kirah's expressionless face morphed into a sad smile. What a load of nonsense. She'd have done anything to get rid of her mask for just a single hour... then carefully remove Kenn's mask and look him in the eyes. Just one time. Then, she might gently touch his cheek and wrap her arms around his neck in a hug. What a moment it would be. And then... then, _maybe..._

She let out a sigh, tired of being forced to use her imagination for _everything_. No other species in the entire galaxy ever had a problem like this, she was sure of that. Quarians were so... unlucky. Almost none had seen the faces of their loved ones before they decided to start a family. The thought alone made her even sadder.

Her eyes scanned the room, looking for a way to overcome her loneliness. Finding nothing interesting, she brought up her omnitool and checked the extranet news. Nothing caught her eye. It was almost as if time suddenly decided to stop flowing. Out of sheer boredom, she opened the music program and tapped a button that said, "Random."

The characteristic sound of an electric guitar immediately began flowing from her mask's earpiece, soon joined by drums and... was that a harmonica? She kept listening, curious to see what's next. The music must have been old. Very old. A strong male voice began singing in a carefree fashion, as if everything about the world was perfect.

The song fit Kirah's taste, and she caught herself tapping her toes to the beat. Surprised at her find, she quickly searched for more information. Apparently, it was composed a hundred years ago by some human band she'd never heard of before.

She was going to make another extranet search about some human term she didn't know, but was soon interrupted by the doorbell ringing. She quickly bookmarked the song to look into it later and got up from the couch. The screen on the door lit up, showing Kenn standing on the other side. She was hit by a wave of relief at his long awaited arrival – a side effect of having lived on Omega. Although... he _had _been away for longer than usual. She tapped a few buttons on her omnitool before the door unlocked and opened.

"Hello there, young man," Kirah greeted him jokingly, stepping aside so he could come in.

"Good evening," he responded, closing the door behind him. "Everything okay in here?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you for a change?" she asked him in a playful manner. She knew how much he loved her childish behavior.

"You're right. Go ahead."

"Everything okay out there?"

He sighed. "I have nothing, Kirah. I'm sorry, but that's just it. Remember, we're quarians. Other species don't exactly like us, and however stupid their reasoning might be, we have no choice but to adapt." She snorted. All she'd ever done was adapt to the presence of every single other person, one by one.

"So what are we going to do?" she asked, consciously stopping her irritation from sneaking its way into her voice.

"I honestly have no idea." He sat on the couch where she'd been lying just a minute ago, leaning backward in exhaustion. She placed her arm around his neck in an attempt to make him feel better. And herself too, of course.

"You're doing a good job," she whispered reassuringly. "We have all the time in the world to finish our Pilgrimages. Let's make it worth it."

"I hope you're right."

She shook her head in disbelief.

"Don't tell me you're going to be the sad one here. You've done all you could, while I've been sitting around, doing absolutely nothing, listening to some crazy human music." She paused for a moment. "Plus, my comforting skills are pretty much nonexistent compared to yours."

He smiled, she was sure, even though she couldn't see through his visor.

"Well, you sure know how to make me blush."

They enjoyed the sweet silence, though it only lasted a few moments before Kenn broke it again.

"Tell me more about the music you mentioned," he said, turning to face Kirah. She did the same and cleared her throat.

"You know how I tend to get all emotional at times, right?"

"Yeah," he confirmed, waiting for her to continue.

"See, it happened again when you were away – I was thinking a bit about us, then suddenly became really bored. And here I was, searching for random music on my omnitool." She let out a soft cough, not having completely recovered from the joining of their suits yet. It only really showed when she had to speak a lot.

"Let me guess," he interrupted her. "You found something you didn't want to find?"

"No, no, no, of course not!"

"Something you knew, then?"

"Nope."

"What then?"

She'd always enjoyed teasing him like that, but decided against it now.

"Uh, it's something from a century ago. Some human band. Never heard of them before, but I kind of liked the music. They have a great singer."

He snickered, leaning backward and folding his arms.

"And what exactly made it worth mentioning?"

"They're pretty damn good," she replied defensively. "I wonder what their world was like back then."

"Why do you care so much? They're just humans."

"I care about everyone in the galaxy and you know it." The memory of Kirah's mental breakdown after killing the three mercenaries flashed in front of his eyes.

"Of course you do. It's what makes you what you are."

"I'll do my best to take that as a compliment."

He paused for a while, not knowing what else to say.

"What are you doing here all day, anyway?"

"Nothing," she said, almost whispering. "Absolutely nothing. And I get bored really fast, which doesn't help either."

"We should spend more time together," he suggested.

"Yeah, but how? I'm no good at looking for jobs. Oh, and I'm a suit rat." She spat the word out with great disgust.

"We all are, Kirah. We all are."

She glanced at her hand covered by the thin dark red glove, the words _keelah se'lai_ written on the palm in ancient Khelish symbols. She felt a sudden surge of hatred for the geth and everything that separated her people from their homeworld, their pride. Hundreds of years after the Morning War, they were still exiles, driven from Rannoch by their own creation – a powerful race of artificial intelligences. She was absolutely sure now. Whoever had the idea to build the geth _was_ a crazy idiot.

_Damn it, damn it, damn it!_

"I hate this thing," she bursted, staring at the envirosuit sleeve enveloping her arm. "If only I could, I'd strip it off and rip it to pieces. Just... just knowing it's mine alone makes me feel bad."

"Why?" Kenn asked sympathetically.

"It's simply not fair." She seemed desperate for... something. Kenn didn't quite know what. "Why are we so hated for this? It's not like we've all made a vote and decided to wear these ugly... things."

"You look nice enough in it," he said sincerely, even though he knew it wouldn't help her.

"Oh, yeah? Fifty creds says I look even better without it," she retorted, slowly reaching for her mask's seals.

"Kirah, don't," Kenn tried to stop her, but to no avail. If anything, she'd throw even more of a fit. He decided to let her have her way.

"I took my immuno boosters and tried out the prototype air sterilizer you've been building," she assured him. "I'll be just fine."

"You sure?" he asked hesitantly, knowing what she was about to do next. "You haven't even recovered from connecting suits yet."

"Yeah, I am pretty sure," she said before pulling her mask away from her face. Kenn could barely hide his amazement.

She was beautiful. Her cheeks were a bright violet color, contrasting with her full, dark purple lips. The sparkling silver eyes were centered on him. She ran her own hand through her dark, wavy hair, looking somewhat satisfied about what she'd done. And then... she smiled.

"I owe you fifty credits," he said before unsealing his mask as well. "Let's see if the air cleaner really works. Worst case scenario, we both get very sick."

She helped him take off his mask and then threw them both away carelessly, leaning in towards Kenn's uncovered face. He looked exactly how she'd always pictured him.

Like an angel.

"Kirah, listen. We don't... You can still-" He couldn't finish the sentence. Kirah's lips met his, and his heart melted. Suddenly, he didn't want to finish it. He ran his hand along her spine, completely lost in her, just like she was in him.

She broke off the kiss for a short moment, saying: "I don't want to." It felt like the right thing to do. Everything did. The world disappeared around them, piece by piece, until it was just the two of them embracing each other, eyes closed.

It was the single most beautiful moment in Kirah's life.

**This one turned out to be a lot more fluffy and drabble-ish than expected, but hopefully that's okay. :) New chapters might take me a longer than before due to me being busy and, most importantly, a lack of ideas, but I have a rough storyline made up.**

**For those of you who are preparing your emergency eye bleach – there's no need. I respect my work enough to not write smut.**

**Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it! Please review, and note that I've fixed the quotation mark issue :)**


	8. Chapter 8

**This one is a bit longer, which I think is okay considering how long it took me to write it :) Expect most chapters to retain the 1500-2000 wordcount. I've been playing around with different perspectives lately and might shift them around in the next chapter, hope you don't mind. Enjoy and please R&R!**

"Feeling any better, Kenn?" Kirah asked worriedly, glancing over at the couch where Kenn had been lying for the past day and a half. He didn't reply at first, letting out a dry cough.

"N... not really," he admitted after a while before another burst of coughing overtook him.

"Had we planned this better..." she mumbled, ashamed at the mere thought of what she'd done. She could have killed him. "I... I really shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry. It's all my fault."

"It was well worth it," he assured her, his voice barely audible despite the mask's speaker volume being set as high as possible.

"I should still have told you."

"And... ruined the surprise? You wouldn't do that... Kirah. That's not your style."

She had to smile and nod. He was right. The immunoboosters had helped her a lot, almost nullifying her body's allergic reaction when combined with the effect of their prototype air sterilizer. However, Kenn hadn't been prepared for the exposure, resulting in a dangerous fever and a persistent dry cough. She knew it could still have been a lot worse, though she wasn't sure whether to be glad, sad or even angry about it.

The sound of her footsteps echoed throughout the single room as she walked over to the tiny kitchen, carefully reaching for a large cup into the cupboard and filling it with hot water. She then pulled out a packet of green tea before throwing it into the cup. Her purple lips spread into a smile as she glanced over at Kenn again. She honestly had no idea why she was so happy, given the state her boyfriend was in, but didn't pay much attention anyway. The fact that they were still together and unaffected by the hostile outside world might have had something to do with that.

"Here you go," she said, walking over to his couch and setting the cup on the table.

"Thanks," he somehow replied with a very cracky voice of an ill man, and took a sip of the hot tea using the blue straw Kirah had picked for him. His favorite color. Her attention to the tiniest of details never ceased to amaze him.

"Think you'll walk today?" she asked, watching him shake his head in a way she could only describe as adorable.

"Tomorrow?" He nodded this time, to her surprise. She didn't expect him to get up in the next two or three days.

"That's great!" she exclaimed. She had to admit, taking care of an ill person had proven to be harder than she thought. And rather tiring, too. She swallowed, her dry throat begging to be refreshed.

"Would you mind staying alone for a while?" she asked carefully. She certainly didn't want to make him feel even worse, but the idea refused to leave her busy mind, teasing her like a beautiful dream cut short by a sudden awakening.

"I think... I could handle it," Kenn breathed out, tilting his head to get a good look at her. She had known him long enough to know that his gorgeous eyes were gazing at her in a way that combined desperation and worry, seeking comfort. The mask might have blocked her sight, but not her emotions.

"If you don't feel up to it, just tell me now," she cooed, placing her gloved hand on his cheek and snuggling up to him. Even now, the feeling of intimacy when she was close to him hasn't lost its novelty. He responded by slowly sliding his hands along her spine, making her shiver slightly as she felt the light pressure.

"I've heard... back rubs are supposed to be very enjoyable," he whispered.

She poked him in the back playfully. "Good... now we only have to get out of _these_ sometime when it's not going to kill us."

"Glad to hear you're enjoying life."

She pulled back defensively, his sarcasm having triggered something deep within her. "How can I, when you're stuck here? Don't you know I want you to come with me?" She lowered herself back onto him so that their masks were almost touching. "I do, Kenn. I'd do anything to make you feel better."

He shrugged. "You've already done enough for me. Go get some drinks on me, but please don't overdo it. I'm always worried."

"Careful with your persuasion skills," she said quietly with a grin. "You could make me do things we'd both regret..."

She lifted herself up and walked to the door, picking Zero up from the workbench on the way. The drone had been buried in various old parts after many of Kirah's unsuccessful attempts to fit it with a more powerful weapon.

"I'll be back soon," she promised. "Don't worry about me."

"I won't."

Once she was on the street, she headed for the cab terminal. The skycar arrived soon after she entered the destination and she got in hastily. She wanted to keep her promise and make it quick for Kenn's sake, and the busiest hours of the day were soon going to end. With empty streets came danger and she seemed to attract danger like an electromagnet attracts metal.

_Is there even a safe place in the galaxy?_ she wondered. _Well, everyone seems to think highly of Thessia. Especially the asari themselves..._

She was interrupted by a loud beeping noise coming from the dashboard console, indicating she'd almost hit another car. Her face turned bright red and she stabilized the cab, continuing towards the docks. She was never good at piloting these things, much less when there were so many other cars around. The trip was boring. To her, it seemed like time itself had stopped.

She quickly parked the cab and got out when she arrived. There was no time to waste, and she began to walk while deciding where she should go. Her feet, almost as if they had a consciousness of their own, dragged her towards the Dark Star Lounge. She wasn't really fond of the idea, but continued walking anyway when she realized she didn't know any other place to have a few drinks at without attracting too much attention.

The sound of music blaring was audible from the outside, causing her stomach to clench. She still had time to change her mind and leave; one part of her mind told her to run away, while the other instead encouraged her to move on and not worry. She decided to go in, having already made it all the way to the place, and she knew she had to be back as soon as possible. There were a million things in her life that could go wrong any second.

_Okay, Kirah, go in. It can't be that bad..._

The place was crowded as usual, with just enough space for a little quarian to slip in unnoticed. She had only been there once until then, and though it was far from the ideal place for her to enjoy herself and get back home unscathed, the staff seemed to tolerate her race. She couldn't have hoped to get much more than that.

She lifted herself up onto chair at the bar, waiting until the human bartender finished serving the person next to her. He seemed somewhat nervous, as if he was in a rush.

"What can I get you?" he asked warily, as if she was going to pounce onto him any second.

"A glass of dextro whiskey would do," she drawled in an attempt to start a friendly conversation, and a pretty poor one at that. Normally, the part of her mind that made a habit of harshly judging her actions would lash out and destroy any hints of self esteem she might have had. She was so overcome with boredom, however, that she felt nothing. The usually persistent little voice refused to speak.

The bartender was too busy to answer, scrambling around looking for the right bottle in the noticeably small dextro cabinet, which he apparently hadn't studied in its entirety. Despite it being his job, Kirah couldn't blame him. Turians weren't exactly what one would call big drinkers and quarians were rare customers. Or maybe he was just new.

She pulled out her sterilized straw, spinning it around in her hand. Her eyes were locked upon the glass and watched it being slowly filled with the precious golden liquid.

"Thanks," she said, immediately dipping the straw into the whiskey and shoving the other end inside the designated slot. The sweet taste seemed to have a calming effect on her.

_Mmm, so good..._

The bartender let out a muffled cough. "Do quarians always... uh... drink like that?" he asked silently, confirming Kirah's suspicions. Definitely new to the job.

"Yeah," she nodded, trying to look as friendly as she could. She knew many who would call the human racist for asking such a thing, including her father. She, however, had gotten used to curious aliens long ago. "Yeah, that's how it works."

"I've always... nevermind." He blushed slightly and moved on to the next customer, avoiding all eye contact with her. Kirah decided to force a conversation no matter what. This person obviously needed help. She took another sip of the whiskey as he turned back to her.

"Why are you so nervous?" she spoke. "Is it about me?"

"I've never served one of your race before," the bartender confessed.

"And what's so embarassing about that?" she asked, cocking her head curiously. "There's a reason for that. Not many quarians are willing to risk their toxin filters."

"Toxin filters?"

"Yeah," Kirah continued, "most save them for 'serious cases.' Truth is, in such a serious case, these things won't help much." She finished her whiskey, licking her lips and pushing the glass over to the bartender. "Give me another one, please."

He said nothing and went over to the dextro cabinet. Kirah took the opportunity to check her pockets, an Omega habit she'd retained, and was calmed when she found everything in place, including Zero. The human returned fast enough to witness her arm moving out of her last pocket.

"You aren't from the Citadel, are you?" he said somewhat reluctantly and sent her now full glass back. She immediately diverted most of her attention to it.

"I wasn't born here if that's what you're asking. Our people stay at the flotilla until they depart for their Pilgrimage. A lot has happened since I left my ship, and I ended up here with a... friend." She decided to keep Kenn out of this. The bartender stayed silent. She finished up her drink and slid off the chair.

"Calling it a day already?" he asked in surprise.

"Excuse me?" she replied, failing to understand the human saying.

"I said, are you going?" She noticed his eyes moving erratically, as if he was having a panic attack. There was something odd about this guy the entire time, the way he acted was suspicious, to say the least. "Rush hour hasn't passed yet, you'd get held up in traffic..."

She spun around and inspected the spot he kept looking at. In the darkest corner of the club, around a small round table, sat a group of humans. All wearing white and blue full body armor, holding helmets in their hands. She could feel her heart skip a couple beats. She knew these people better than she wanted to.

_Shit!_

"You," she growled at the sweating bartender. "You set me up!"

Upon catching her look, the mercs stood up in unison and began moving towards the bar. There were five of them, way too many for Kirah to handle alone. Luckily, she was never alone. She dragged out Zero out of her pocket, pressed the only button on the drone's metallic case and released her into the air in one fluid motion. Zero immediately diverted all power to her shock coils, ready to attack. Two taps on Kirah's omnitool resulted in a faint blue shield blinking into existence around her body, and her right hand reached for the pistol secured on her left hip.

_Shit, shit, shit!_

The club's guards were nowhere to be seen, probably paid off by the mercs beforehand. Someone must have followed her all the way here. That meant Kenn was in danger. She pressed her omnitool's emergency button, which automatically sent him her location along with a warning. That was all she could do for him.

_It's your fault,_ the voice in her head told her. _You've endangered the only person in the world who trusted you._ She didn't need her own conscience siding with someone who was probably going to kill her, and shook her head to clear out any stray thoughts. This was a matter of life or death.

"Stay back," she shouted, readying her weapon.

"You're coming with us, like it or not," a merc said with a vicious grin on his face. "I'd pick the first option if I were you."

Kirah didn't waste any more time on talking and took aim with her pistol. The entire club watched her in complete silence as she slowly backed out towards the exit. Upon reaching the open door, she decided to take them by surprise, turned and ran as fast as she could, sweating, her heart beating wildly. She needed to get off the street, now. The mercs kept on following her like a pack of hungry wolves chasing their prey. She swiftly turned a corner in search of a good hiding spot. An abandoned looking door caught her eye, and she immediately began hacking the door. The usually lengthy process seemed to go magically easy this time, _thank the ancestors,_ and right as she got in and furiously tapped away at the buttons to lock the damn thing again, the mercs stood outside ready to storm the place. She was now trapped with no way out. The stairway led her into a room full of crates and dim lighting, probably an old warehouse of some kind, and a quick scan revealed that the three doors were all sealed with a high security electronic lock. With just a bit more time, she would have been able to override it. She had none. The only remaining option was to defeat the mercs.

She snuck up the stairs to check the lock on the outside door. If she had any hopes of surviving until that point, they all died down at that moment, replaced by pure terror. One of them must have been an engineer, because the door console was blocked by an obvious hacking attempt. Zero flew up the stairs next to Kirah and examined the console.

"Kirah, I recommend securing the position downstairs," she said, her synthetic voice barely audible to prevent detection. "Attempting to stop the hacking process is futile."

Kirah didn't pay attention to the world around her. Not even Zero or the mercs working their way in. Heck, why did she even refer to the drone as a "she?" Zero was a VI. Not a person, not a being. A computer program. She had _built_ her.

"Kirah?" Zero asked worriedly. The quarian shook her head.

_Of course she... _it_'s not actually worried, you big bosh'tet. It's a computer._ The taunting little voice spoke again, yet this time Kirah had to agree.

"We're done." The statement was cold and harsh, and it didn't make Kirah feel any better. "We're done, let's face it." She walked down the stairs angrily and kicked away an empty ultralight container, watching it fly across the room and bounce off the wall.

Suddenly, the outside door opened, catching her completely off guard. _That was fast,_ she thought as she leapt over a crate in the back of the room and took cover. The mercs came in and stood at the bottom of the stairway. There was no stopping them now.

"We know you're there," the one in front shouted. "Get your ass over here and we won't harm you." That trick was getting old. Kirah braced herself for another upcoming emotional shock, letting the barrel of her pistol poke out of cover and pointing in the mercenaries' general direction. Then she pulled the trigger.

Chaos broke out. Four mercs pulled out their Shurikens and scrambled around for cover. The last one dropped to the floor, clutching a serious gunshot wound near his waist. She felt sorry for him, but mentally slapped herself immediately, remembering Kenn's words. She had to concentrate.

She noticed a faint orange glow coming out from behind one of the crates, its source obviously an omnitool. Kirah quickly brought out her own and tried to track the signal, but it didn't respond. Nothing happened.

_What?_

Suddenly, Zero let out a loud beep and almost exploded in a shower of blue sparks. Kirah felt a sharp burning pain all over her body before the world turned black and she passed out.


End file.
